Assembling photovoltaic arrays is typically a time consuming process. Improvements are therefore always desired to make array assembly faster, easier, more consistent, and less expensive. By reducing the time taken to assemble the array, the overall system cost is reduced. Photovoltaic arrays typically require both mechanical assembly and electrical coupling of wiring systems configured to capture, transfer, and/or manage the electricity for energy consumption. Since each photovoltaic module in a photovoltaic array usually includes a wiring system, wire management can be a complex process that takes up a significant portion of the time of installation.
Typically, photovoltaic module wiring systems may include a junction box mounted to the back side of each photovoltaic module and a pair of wires—one connected to a positive terminal of the junction box and one connected to a negative terminal of the junction box, for example—that electrically couple the module to other components for energy transfer and/or management. In some instances, it is desirable to electrically couple one or more of the photovoltaic modules in a given photovoltaic array to each other in series to form a string and to achieve the desired energy. For example, each photovoltaic module in a given row may be electrically coupled to both adjacent photovoltaic modules in the row (one on either side) via the pairs of wires of the junction box of each module. Such electrical coupling typically must be done at the installation sites of the photovoltaic arrays.
Upon arrival at the installation site, photovoltaic modules typically come with the wiring temporarily bunched together and/or temporarily mounted to the photovoltaic module using wire-ties, clips, or other temporary fasteners. Prior to installation, installers typically remove the temporary fasteners so that the wires are free and accessible for electrical connection. However, since the wiring requires a certain amount of slack wire to allow for connection to the next module in the array, or to other components, the free wires often interfere with installation. Moreover, the wiring must be accessible as each successive module is installed so that the modules can be electrically coupled as desired. Furthermore, once installed and electrically connected, it is important to avoid sagging wires that may be aesthetically unpleasing and hazardous.
To address these issues, installers typically attempt to manage wires prior to moving the panels to the roof (e.g., while on the ground) and/or by applying (or re-applying) wire clips or other fasteners to the wires as each module is installed. For example, installers may keep a number of clips or other fasteners on hand during installation and apply them to portions of the wires to affix them to module frames or other module components as installation proceeds. However, because of the necessary slack required in the wires for connection flexibility and the need for the wires to be accessible during installation, wire management by clips or other fasteners may require a time-consuming process of affixing, removing, and adjusting wire clips that significantly increases installation time and reduces quality of how wires are managed.
For example, for coupling two modules, the installer may first affix the wires of a first module to a convenient location for accessibility using clips, install the first module on the roof, affix the wires of the next module to a convenient location using additional clips, install the second module on the roof, remove the clips from one or both sets of wires to connect the wires and then re-affix some or all of the clips to keep the wires in a desired position close to the modules to keep them from sagging. This process may be repeated for each subsequent module.
In addition to the lengthy process described above, if a wire connection or clip fails or is improperly installed, in many cases, the wires of multiple modules may be become inaccessible which requires fishing beneath modules (using elongated tools in many cases) and in some cases even uninstallation of one or many modules and reinstallation using the process described above. Accordingly, improvement in both the installation time and quality of wire management is desirable.